Sewing-machine bobbin case



' L. E. WEAVERx SEWING MACHINE BOBBIN CASE.

APPLICA'HON FILED FEB 28, I921.

, 1 9 3,105 6 a Patented July 18, 1922.1.

INVENT DH ATTURNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LUOIUS E. WEAVER, OF EAST HAMPTON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGITOR TO SUMMIT THREAD COMPANY, OFEAST HAMPTON, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION or MAINE.

SEWING-MACHINE BOBBIN CASE.

Specification of Letters'latent.

Application filed February 28, 1921. Serial No. 448,687.

T 0 all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, Looms E. VVFiivnu,

a citizen of the United States, residing at East Hampton, in the county of Middlesex' having a central post on which the tubular core of a universally wound bobbin isrotatable the post being provided with a.

pivoted latch, adapted toconfine a bobbin on the post, the latch constituting also an element of means for ejecting or displacing the bobbin, all as shown by the Porter Patent No. 832,414, of October 2, 1906.

The object ofthe invention is to utilize the above-mentioned latch to support a con trolling device for yieldingly retarding rotation of the bobbin onthe post, and preventing undesirably loose and .free rotation of the bobbin without requiring limitation ofthe bulk of the winding of thread.

The invention is embodied in the improvements which I will now proceed to described and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a bobbin case having a bobbin-confining latch provided with a bobbin-controlling device embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig wound bobbin composed of a core 15 and a winding 16 of thread is adapted to rotate loosely on the post 13. In the post is a spring-pressed plunger 17, having a bobbin-ejecting finger 18.

19 represents a latch pivoted at 20 to the outer portion of the post 13, and having a cam-shaped. arm 21, adapted to co operate with the plunger 17 in holding the ejecting finger 18 in an inoperative position. The spring-pressed plunger cooperates with the cam portion 21 in maintaining the latch in its operative position at right angles with the post, and in its inoperative position in alinement with the post, as in the said Porter patent. I

The latch '19 is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 22. To the latch is attached at one end of said slot, as by a rivet 23, a resilient'tongue 24, extending along the slot 22, and havingfa free end portion normally projectin sutfioiently below the latch to gbear yieldingly onaportion of the outer end of the bobbin, in-

dicated by Figure 2. I

hen the latch is swung from the upnigh-tor inoperative. position it occupies to permit the application of. a bobbinv to the post, to the operative or bobbin-confining position shown by the drawings, the resili ,ent tongue 24 is held by the latch inposition to bear yieldingly on the outer end of thebobbin and retard the rotation of the latter, so that the bobbin can rotate no faster than is required bythe call of the thread. -VVhen the latch is in its operative position, it is held by the resilient means in 'which the spring-pressed plunger 17 is included, against an edge portion of the case 12, as shown by Figure 2, and is slightly spaced from the bobbin, so that the pressure of the tongue 24 on the bobbin is due wholly to the resilience of the tongue and not to the said resilient means. When the latch is swung to its inoperative position it displaces the tongue. The latch therefore performs two functions, in that it re= tains and releases the bobbin, and applies and removes the resilient tongue.

It will be seen that the point of attachment 23 of the resilient tongue is out of the bobbin-containing space in the case,'and

Patented July is, 11922.

that the free end portion of the resilient tongue conforms to the, length of a'bobbin of normal size, so that the employment of the tongue does not involve a reductionof the bulk of the thread winding, and a reduction of the yardage of the thread therein.

The tongue 24 normally projects from the inner side of the latch when the latter is in its operative position, and is adapted to be pressed into the slot 22 to any extent re quired by the length of the bobbin, so that a bobbin of maximum length and having a maximum yardage of thread may be interposed between the bottom of the case and the latch. In other words, the length of the bobbin may be such that its outer end is separated from the inner side of the latch by a space of less widththan the thickness of the tongue, it. being necessary only to prevent actual rubbing contact between the outer end of the bobbin and the latch. T he tongue may therefore be made of any thickness desired, so that a tongue of maximum thickness does not require any reduction 01 the length of the bobbin. The edges oi the slot support the edges of the tongue. so that there is no liability of edgewise displacement of the latter, hence a single rivet 23 is sufficient to attach the tongue to th latch.

I claim:

A sewing-machine bobbin case comprising a central tubular post, a bobbin-confining latch pivoted Within the outer end of the bore 01" the post and movable to an operative position at right angles with the post, and to an inoperative position in alinement with the post, said latch having a cam-shaped arm at its inner end, means Within the post for cooperation With said arm in yieldingly retaining the latch in either or" said positions, the outer end of the latch being positively supported by thte case when the latch is in its operative position, said. latch being provided with a longitudinal slot extending from the outer end porsilient bobbin-controlling tongue fixed to the latch, at the outer end of saidslot and extending lengthwise oi" the slot, the tongue being shorter than the slot, and its inner end normally projecting from the inner side of the latch, and arranged to bear yieldingly on the outerend of the core oi a universally Wound bobbin when the latch is in its operative position, the tongue be ing adapted to be pressed into the slot by the bobbin, so that a bobbin of maximum length and yardage ot'thread may be con fined by the latch and tensioned by the tongue, the edges of the slot preventing edgewise displacement or" the tongue.

In'testimony whereof I have ZLfllXCCl my signature.

' LUCIUS E. WEAVER. 

